Evaporating and incinerating apparatus



Sept. 29, 1925.

H. A. NIBECKER` EVAPORATING AND INCINERATING APPARATUS Filed oct. 21, 1924 gnou/Vio@ aucun? Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD A. NIBECKER, 0F AGNEW, CALIFORNIA.-

)EVAIPORATING AND INCINERATING AIPABAT'US.

Applicationled October 21, 1924. Serial No. 744,911.

containing potassium compounds such as the refuse resulting from the extraction of sugar, the residue of the fermentation of molasses, black strap, and the like. i

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a unitary heat structure capablev .of performingA the steps of evaporation and incineration thereby eiiecting the reduction of such waste materials into ash form.

Another object of the invention is the particular construction 'of the unitary heat structure whereby the reduction of such waste materials is effected without the use of any extraneous fuel other than that necessary to initiate the combustion of the organic matter contained in the waste material.

v Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed disclosure of a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is well known that the waste materials, particularly the refuse resulting from the extraction of su ar from beets, the residue of the fermentation of molasses, black strap, and the like contain organic matter in addition to potassium in the form of' various compounds. It has been proposed to recover the potassium from such waste materiall by placing the liquor or syrup in evaporating pans and then carbonizing the evaporated mass in closed retorts, reducing the same to ash. then recovering the potassium from the ash. It has also been proposed to recover the potassium contained in such waste materials by chemical treatment. I have lfound that such materials can be reduced to ash form in a more eicient, simple and economical manner than has heretofore been attained by treating the saine in the appainitiating thev combustion of the dried organic matter carried thereby, and propagating the combustion of the organic matter by l regulating the admission of air to the apparatus, thereby reducing the material to a form from which the potassium contained therein can be readily recovered by leaching or any of the other well known methods. By treating such waste materials in my apparatus the evaporation-or elimination of water, and incineration or reduction of the organic matter to ash can be effected expeditiously and economically, the apparatus being adapted to perform these functions or steps in the transformation of such materials from a liquid to a solid state continuously and in a single unitary structure.

My preferred unitary heat structure or apparatus comprises a tubular kiln made up of a central section disposed between two end sections, the diameters of said end sections being larger than the diameter of the central section, the kiln being disposed at an incline and suitably mounted for rotation.

The upper end section of the inclined kiln -is provided with baiie projections extendin radially from its inner circumference, an

also includes means for controlling admission of air to the kiln, and means for introducing the material to be vtreated at its o en end. The purpose of the baie construction is to cause a thorough and intimate commingling of 'the waste materials and the heated air. The lower end section is provid ed with a cover plate having a number of' openings therein for the admission of air.

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of my preferred apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse section through the body of the kiln onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isy a view in transverse section through the kilnon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. l

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section through the kiln on line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an end` view of the lower .section of the kiln showing the plate provided withair vents.

Referringto the drawings, the kiln comprises a central section 11 interposed between an enlarged lower end section 12, and an enlarged upper end section 13: The inner circumferential surfaces of sectwns 11 and rings spaced apart by bricks 16 and 17 which are disposed to form pockets between the annular rings, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. This arrangement of the fire-brick in the end section 13 causes the material being treated to be caught or trapped in the end pockets as it is fed into the kiln and as the l iln rotates, the material is carried upward in the pockets until it drops downward through the kiln. Due to the pitch of the kiln, the material will fall over the successive baiile rings formed by brick 15, and as vthe kiln rotates the material will advance slowly through section 13 until it passes into section 11. The disposition of the refractory lining in the manner indicated compels the material to pass in a tortuous manner causing intimate contacting and commingling thereof with the heated air and the products of combustion, thereby preventing the particles of waste materials from passing through section 13 until substantially all of the moisture carried thereby has been eliminated or removed, vand the temperatures thereof have been raised to a point where ignition of the organic matter will readily occur in central section 11.

The open end of the lower end section 12 is normally closed by a removable plate 18 provided with air vents 19 of a size sufficient to allow a suitable draft to be maintained through the kiln. Plate 18 may b e removed when desired to permit a fire to be started in the kiln, preferably at the start of the operation, and to remove the completely treated materials at the end of an operation.

The open end of the upper end section 13 `is partially closed by a cap 20 provided with a central opening 21 t erethrough. The opening 21 communicates with a ue' 22, which may be of any desired construction. Within the throat of the flue 22 is mounted a damper 23 to regulate the combustion within the kiln.

Passing downward through flue 22 and extending through the opening 21 into the upper end of section 13 is a feed chute 24 for the introduction of the waste material to be treated to the kiln. The outlet of the chute 24 terminates preferably at a oint adjacent the bale wall construction o the inner circumferential face of the upper end section 13 so that the material may be entrained, dispersed, and separated at the point of introduction into the kiln, and thus allow the. heated air and products of cdmbustion to intermingle therewith at the start thereof on its course through the kiln.

Secured to the exterior of kiln sections 11 and 13 are tires25 which rotatably support the kiln on rollers 26 of thrust roller bearings 27. A spur gear 28 driven by a pinion 29 is secured to and drives the kiln. Pinion 29 is supported and driven in any well known manner.

`To start the operation of the apparatus outlined above, end plate 18 is removed and a fire is built in the central section 11 of the kiln. The end plate 18 is then replaced,

and when the internal temperature of the kiln reaches the proper point, the material to be treated is'fed into the kiln through chute 24, and the kiln is started into rotation. It is necessary that sufficient fuel be supplied at the start so that the initial fire in the kiln will supply enough heat energy to dry the material as it advances into section 11, and to initiate the combustion of the organic material contained therein. After combustion of the advancing material has been initiated and a kiln temperature has been reached at which this combustion will be maintained, no fire within the kiln is required as the' organic matter in the material is ample to sustain -the combustion. The heated .gases of combustion pass upward through section 13 and are intimately contacted with the material being treated. The watery waste material is fed into the apparatus at such a rate and at such density that as it passes through the upper section 13 of the kiln, it is relieved of its moisture content and in section 11 it is heated to the oint of ignition of vthe combustible materlal contained therein. When the treated material reaches the central section 11 of the kiln, it is a glowing red mass, due to the burning or combustion of the organic matter contained therein. In passing through the central section 11 of the kiln, the combustible matter is completelv consumed leaving a residue of ash which collects in the lower end section of the kiln from which the ash may be rcmoved from time to time as desired. By controlling` the damper to regulate the admission of air, the combustion of the organic matter carried by the material treated is effectively and eiiciently controlled so that complete reduction of the material as it reaches section 12 is effected.

The ash, after being removed from the kiln, may be treated by leaching or any of the other well known methods to recover the potassium contained therein.

When treating watery waste materials 1n which the organic matter is insufficient to supply the heat energy necessary to effect drymg and to maintam combustion, the material may be previously concentrated to a point where combustion may be sustained in the ki1n, or suicient extraneous fuel may be supplied through a suitable oil burner, or in any other desired manner to supply the deficiency. Instead of building a fire in the kiln to initiate operation, suitable oil burners may be utilized, and in treating waste with a deficiency of organic matter, after operation `has been initiated the fuel supply may be reduced to a oint where combustion will just be maintained.

It will be apparent that a novel apparatus has been provided in which waste materials are continuously dried to a ,point where the organic matter contained therein will burn and supply heat energyqfor drying and igniting fresh material, enabling the materials to be reduced to ash iorm without the use of extraneous fuel beyond the amount necessary to initiate combustion, and to supply suiicient fuel during operation to mamtain combustion when the organic matter is in itself insuiicient. This enables the recovery of valuable`by-products to be carried out on an efficient, economical and profitable commercial scale.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent and claimed as new is:

1. An apparatus for the treatment of waste material comprising an inclined rotary kiln said kiln comprising a central section disposed between two enlarged end secl tions a feed means extending within said upper end section, a plate provided with air vents secured to the open end of the lower end section, a flue in communication with the open end of thesaid upper end section, and means for rotating said kiln.

2. An apparatusl for the treatment. of waste material comprising an inclined rotary kiln, said kiln comprising a central sec-` tion disposed between two enlarged end sections, a feed means extending within said upper end section', a plate provided with air vents secured to the open end of the lower tu e-nd section, a flue in communication with the open end of the said upper end section, means disposed in said flue for regulating the admission of air thereto, and means for rotating said kiln.

3. Apparatus for treating waste materials comprising a rotary tubular kiln embodying an inclined cylindrical central section in which the materials under treatment are continuously advanced, ignited, and the combustible elements thereof consumed; an enlarged cylindrical feed end section formed integrally with said central section and provided with a plurality of pockets disposed in adjacent parallel rings around the interior surface thereof for showering fresh materials through the heated gases of combustion from said central section; and means for rotating said kiln.-

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 together with an enlarged cylindrical ash collecting chamber formed integrally with `said central section.

5. In an apparatus for treatin materials, an inclined cylinder provide with a series of adjacent pockets on the interior surface thereof arranged to repeatedly lift the material under treatment, shower it downward through said cylinder and gradually advance it towards the low end of said cylinder; means feeding the material to be treated into the upper end of said cylinder; meansfor passing gases through said cylinder, and means for rotating said cylinder.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 together with an inclined cylindrical combustion chamber formed integrally with and communicating with saidfirst mentioned cylinder.

`7. The combination as set forth in claim 5 together with aninclined cylindrical ash collectin chamber formed integrally and communicating with said first mentioned cylinder.

' In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signa- HOWARD A. NIBECKER. 

